Monday, January 25, 2010

Snowflakes - your favorite way to make them or your favorite item on Etsy featuring them

Favorite winter time activity/how to keep kids occupied during snow days (indoors or outdoors)

Well, my very favorite way to make snowflakes is cutting them out of paper to hang from the ceiling and in the windows, which incidentally, is a great activity to keep your kids occupied on snow days! ^-^

You may recall last year, I took part in the the One World, One Heart event that was hosted and created back in 2007 by Lisa Swifka. Well it's time again to meet new artists from around the world. I can't wait to get started with the blog hopping!

But before I do, let me introduce myself to those of you who have never been here before!

My name is Diana, and although I make a living by substitute teaching and plan to find a permanent position teaching soon, that's just a means to the end. In my heart and soul I am an artist. Oh, I let others squelch my creative fires for many years, before finally realizing it, but now, I can see my creativity growing by leaps and bounds.

Welcome to my little space on the internet! I hope you enjoy your stay!

Oh, one more thing, I am going to give away a special custom painted postcard to one lucky winner! Here are some examples of other postcards I've created:

For your chance to win, just leave a comment here on this post and be sure to include your email or blog address so I can contact you if you are a winner. On February 14th I will randomly choose and announce the winner here on the blog, and contact you via email or your blog.

PLEASE MAKE SURE I AM ABLE TO CONTACT YOU! Last year some people have left comments with private blogger profiles and no email address, and I had no way of contacting those people. Please make sure when you comment that I can reach you if you win or I will have to choose another winner... :(

Sunday, January 24, 2010

I have so much I want to post about - Esme's birthday, Benji coming to visit, artwork I've been doing, school, the books I've been reading... - but I just can't seem to focus long enough...

So what am I here to post about now? Bugs.

You see, spring is coming. I can tell. The snow is melting. The weather is warmer. It's raining, not snowing. We don't have the 2nd blanket on every night. And the house is getting bugs. No, not like roaches or ants or anything... but like ladybugs, stink bugs, shield bugs, the occasional house fly...

In the fall they crawl into cracks and crevices, generally in trees, or under leaves on the ground, and do a little hibernation kind of thing until it gets warmer. Well some get into the cracks in the siding and into the walls and when the weather gets warmer they start waking up and move toward the warmth, which this time of year is still the inside.

We usually leave them alone, or pop them out the front door where they can quickly get access under the trailer under the front steps. Yes, we're even kind to the bugs that freak some of out the most. A few days ago, you might have seen the little video I posted; well that woolly bear was not the most unusual bug to pay us a visit this time of year.

This is. This is a green lacewing. A VERY Summer bug around here. They generally aren't seen until May or June, sometimes later. but this little guy was hopping all around us last night, and spent a great deal of time on my hand or arm, washing his antennae. He was so cute, I tried to get a good pic, but the lighting was too low, and this is the best I could do. He's only about 1/2 inch long.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

I am so tired right now, and was just skimming the blogs I have on my reader, not planning to reply to any really, or even take the time to post anything, but I read Jamie's post about Wishcasting Wednesday and it struck a chord with me - as tomorrow is my gift-daughter's Sweet Sixteenth, and I wish her much - so I had to post something small...

She asked: What do you wish for your family?

And to that I reply:

I wish my gift-daughter Esme a life of joy and laughter, love and happiness, enough to be satisfied but not so much to lose the drive and desire for more: more life, more learning, more exploring.

I wish my father health and happiness and joy, contentedness in his life and where things are now.

I wish my mother peace and love and light, and happiness and joy.

I wish my grandmother health and joy and vitality.

I wish my Sunshine peace and joy and laughter and love, health and well-being, and a feeling of safety and security.

And for everyone in my family, whether by blood or history or heart, I wish you enough. (And yes, I am referring to that cheesy, get-the-tissues-out story that you've been forwarded a million times in your email, but in case you haven't seen it, you can read it here.)

Monday, January 18, 2010

Jacqueline made the BEST soup tonight! I don't know the recipe but I have never had soup so good! And she made baked fish and squash (because not all the kids would like the soup) and OMG! SO GOOD! Ok, well I can't say on the squash, because although I was the one craving it and picked it out at the store, I didn't want it tonight... But the SOUP!!!

There was pollock - which she had baked in butter also and it was like CANDY! - and scallops and broccoli and... other things I don't even know! It was just SO yummy! Maybe she'll post the recipe... ^-^

Cook over medium low heat until the bacon is done, the veggies are all cooked through, and the broccoli is starting to slightly brown. Add 1 32 oz. jar of spagetti sauce with mushrooms, 1/2 of the spaghetti sauce jar full of water, 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.

Turn heat up to medium and bring to a boil.

Add one pound of pollock that has been cut into one inch cubes. Continue cookiing, stirring frequently until the pollock is mostly done. Add a one pound bag of frozen bay scallops. Continue cooking until the scallops are done, about five minutes.

Tristan at Enchanted Revelry has hit some pretty big milestones over at his blog: his 300th Follower, 200th Post, and 40,000th Hit!!! So naturally he's having a Giveaway! YAY! And it is filled with creative sparkly goodness! I won't spoil the surprize, but head on over to this post, check it out, and enter to win! But hurry! It ends on Friday the 22nd!

The law provides certain automatic rights to a person’s spouse regardless of whether or not a will exists.

Married couples in elderly care facilities are generally not separated unless one spouse’s health dictates hospitalization or special care.

Married couples are permitted to give an unlimited amount of gifts to each other without being taxed.

The law presumes that a married couple with both names on the title to their home owns the property as “tenants by the entirety.”

A married couple, by statute, has creditor protection of their marital home.

Many married people are entitled to financial benefits relating to their spouses, such as disability, pension and social security benefits.

With marriage, a couple has the right to be treated as an economic unit and to file joint tax returns (and pay the marriage penalty), and obtain joint health, home and auto insurance policies.

When a spouse dies, there is no need to prove ownership of every item in the household for taxable purposes.

A child who grows up with married parents benefits from the fact that his or her parents’ relationship is recognized by law and receives legal protections.

Spouses are generally entitled to joint child custody and visitation upon divorce (and bear an obligation to pay child support).

The mark of a strong family and healthy children is having parents who are nurturing, caring, and loving. Parents should be judged on their ability to parent, not by their age, race, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

For adults, a stable, happy marriage is the best protector against illness and premature death. Decades of research have clearly established these links. (Burman & Margolin, 1992; Dawson, 1991; Verbrugge, 1979).

Anyway, What's the Scoop is their blogaroo and will be featuring swaps, craft ideas, freebies, and a gallery! Obviously they're having giveaways too! And the first one is going on now, but you gotta enter by 4pm CST TODAY! I am sorry I didn't mention it sooner, but I just found out myself!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

I was lucky enough to already be on the email list and got a sneak peek of the whole film. Yes, in it's entirety. (Oh and I think if you sign up for email updates on Lemonademovie.com, you can still get access, but only for the next 48 hours or so...)

It's only about 36 minutes long, but it was so moving and inspiring... These are the stories of people who were pretty high up their respective corporate ladders, but not so high up they couldn't be knocked down, and they were. They were laid off, and they completely changed their lives around, started their own businesses, became more successful and happy than they ever were before...

One thing that stuck with me the most was a quote from one woman who lost her job and started her own yoga & health business... She said, "You don't have to quit your job to change your life; you can just incorporate more of what you love into your everyday, and it makes the biggest difference in the world."

Yes. That. I am not quitting my job. At this point I still need it. But more of what I love... Less of what I don't...

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Fulton is closer to us than Oswego, even though Oswego is our technical address.

And the houses a mile or less in any direction don't even have snow up to their mailboxes. Our mailbox is covered. Antonio had to shovel off the top of the snowbanks by the driveway, so I could not get my front end removed trying to see to leave.

...from January 3rd...

This was not the first day...Yes, the mailbox is already buried...

Jo & Lia ... play in? shovel? the snow...

...from January 4th...

Mailboxes about a block away...

Foot of our driveway...

Just so you have something for comparison, from December 20th...Note the mailbox on the right side near the middle...

Friday, January 01, 2010

I don't remember! Usually it's just something silly one of the kids have done or something I have said, but my most recent was just yesterday, when Esme collapse on the floor in a heap because Lia had elbowed her or something. (Our children have a flair for the dramatic.) And I told her I was going to go to Facebook to post how she got her butt kicked by an 11 year old. As with most belly laughs I think you really needed to be there to understand the humor...

December 30Ad. What advertisement made you think this year?

Oh! I posted about one I had seen where the man made a comment about his weight and his wife replied rather snarkily, and then he insulted her. It just made me feel so icky that we grow up watching these negative little vignettes and it just becomes so *normal*: it's just how things are, what we do... And I wonder if those commercials are just a reflection or part of the problem...

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Amazon Ads

While waiting for a friend at our local library, I stumbled across this series. Since their fantasy/sci-fi section was limited (and these weren't even in that section) I decided to pick up the first three books, thinking they'd be quick...